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Gallows Thief
Written by Bernard Cornwell
Narrated by James Frain
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Start Listening- Publisher:
- HarperAudio
- Released:
- Jan 25, 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780060784515
- Format:
- Audiobook (abridged)
Description
Rider Sandman, having fought Napoleon in the French wars, expected to lead the life of an English country gentleman, but now, two years after Waterloo, his family is impoverished, his name is disgraced and he has been forced to relinquish the woman he loves from her obligation to marry him. Desperate to earn money he accepts the job of being the government's Investigator; an official who discovers whether petitions for mercy sent by condemned criminals should be granted. His first case concerns a portrait painter who is due to hang for murder in a week's time and the government makes it clear that they want the verdict confirmed.
But Rider Sandman, whose qualifications for the post are nonexistent, discovers that the painter is almost certainly innocent and, as he peels back the layers of a corrupt penal system, he finds himself pitted against some of the wealthiest and most ruthless men in Regency England who want to keep the truth hidden.
Book Actions
Start ListeningBook Information
Gallows Thief
Written by Bernard Cornwell
Narrated by James Frain
Description
Rider Sandman, having fought Napoleon in the French wars, expected to lead the life of an English country gentleman, but now, two years after Waterloo, his family is impoverished, his name is disgraced and he has been forced to relinquish the woman he loves from her obligation to marry him. Desperate to earn money he accepts the job of being the government's Investigator; an official who discovers whether petitions for mercy sent by condemned criminals should be granted. His first case concerns a portrait painter who is due to hang for murder in a week's time and the government makes it clear that they want the verdict confirmed.
But Rider Sandman, whose qualifications for the post are nonexistent, discovers that the painter is almost certainly innocent and, as he peels back the layers of a corrupt penal system, he finds himself pitted against some of the wealthiest and most ruthless men in Regency England who want to keep the truth hidden.
- Publisher:
- HarperAudio
- Released:
- Jan 25, 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780060784515
- Format:
- Audiobook (abridged)
About the author
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Reviews
Although he always writes well-researched historical novels, many of
them are just a little bit too masculine and military-focused for my
taste. With this historical mystery set in 19th century London, he
achieves a more balanced milieu.
Rider Sandman returns to London a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo
expecting the respect given a military hero. However, he finds that in
his absence, his father gambled the family fortune away, and then
committed suicide, leaving him penniless and with an indelible stain
upon his reputation. To make things worse, his mother and sister
expect him to keep them in their accustomed idle and luxurious
lifestyle - they can't even imagine the shame of becoming working
women.
On top of all this, Sandman's planned wedding seems to definitely be off.
Sandman's only source of income is now to play cricket matches -
something he's luckily good at. But is certainly not enough money to
sustain him, and so when Lord Sidmouth recommends him for a job, he's
quick to take it. It seems an easy commission - a portrait painter is
accused of raping and murdering a wealthy lady as she sat for her
portrait. It's sure that he's guilty, but an investigation needs to be
done - purely as a formality - before the man can be hanged.
Unfortunately, when Rider embarks upon his investigation, he quickly
becomes certain that the portrait painter is innocent. For one thing,
he's gay, so it seems very unlikely he would have murdered a woman in
a crime of passion, as it is being alleged. For another thing, the
maid who would have been able to confirm the painter's alibi has
mysteriously disappeared.
Against Lord Sidmouth's wishes, the upright and honest Sandman
involves himself in a race against time to discover the truth before
the young painter is hanged...
Lots of dramatic tension and unexpected plot twists keep the book
exciting, as Cornwell takes the reader on a tour of the gritty,
realistic underside of London's criminal justice system.
Bernard Cornwell’s genre of choice is historical fiction. Most of his books take place during England’s history (though there are some exceptions) and I appreciate that even though the books are essentially fluffy reads, they do seem to be fairly historically accurate. The Gallow’s Thief follows Rider Sandman, a former army captain who has been disgraced by his father’s suicide. Desperate for work, he takes a job as special investigator for Charles Corday, an artist and convicted murderer. As one would expect in this kind of book, Corday is obviously not guilty, and Captain Sandman has to work for his money in order to find the real killer.
The book follows most of the conventions of both mystery novels and historical fiction novels, complete with carriage chases, gun fights, breaking and entering, and even the occasional cricket match (okay, that’s a little different). It’s not great literature, but it’s entertaining. I bought it for 4,000/= in Tanzania (that’s about 2 dollars), and I don’t feel like I wasted my money.
Ryder (who is, incidentally a very attractive character) goes to see the accused and starts to investigate, assisted by a local tavern wench, a Sergeant and a member of the aristocracy. He gets into a fair number of difficult positions in the week he has to find the truth, some of them physically dangerous. The tale ends as if there was to be a sequel, but I'm not aware of one.